Convertible amusement device



y 0, 1956 J. M. GREEN 2,754,120

CONVERTIBLE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Aug. 51, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 James M. Green IN V EN TOR.

July 10, 1956 J. M. GREEN 2,754,120

CONVERTIBLE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Aug. 31. 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 42 80 8 82 I a 34 84 J L, A L l :7] 35 I8 I k 72 1 TL 70 70 46 15 7a James M. Green IN V EN TOR.

July 10, 1956 J. M. GREEN 2,754,120

CONVERTIBLE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Aug. 31, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.4 I

Fig. 5

I WHILI ll James M. Green INVENTOR.

BY M -M -nnn CONVERTIBLE AMUSEll/IEN T DEVICE James M. Green, Seat Pleasant, Md., assignor of fifty per cent to William A. Schmitz, Washington, D. C.

Application August 31, 1953, Serial No. 377,622 7 Claims. (Cl. 27252.5)

This invention relates generally to childrens appliances and pertains more particularly to a multi-purpose article having three main positions of use, namely, a position in which the device in use is wheel supported for movement of a child along the ground surface on its wheels, a position in which the device is supported on rockers for movement of a child in a swaying, lulling fashion, and a position in which the device is supported in the manner of a chair or table for feeding a child with no free movement relative to the supporting surface.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved article of furniture and amusement for children which may be rapidly and easily manipulated into any one of three positions of use, the same being effected by mechanism constructed in the least cumbersome and most eflicient manner.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved article of furniture in conformity with the foregoing objects, in which a combined support and cam mechanism permits the assembly to be positioned in any one of its various positions of use.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the assembly showing the manner in which it is wheel supported for movement along the ground surface;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken through the assembly shown in Figure 1, showing the device on an enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a partial view similar to Figure 2 but showing the assembly in another position of use;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the assembly in still another position of use;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view looking from the left toward the right at the assembly shown in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a perspective further enlarged view of the combined supporting and cam mechanism;

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical section taken through a portion of the wheel assembly;

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 8-8 in Figure 2;

Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view as is Figure 10, showing the crank assembly in unlatched and latched position respectively.

Referringnow more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, reference numeral 19 indicates the invention generally which is comprised essentially of pairs of spaced upright frame members 12 and 14 being interconnected at their lower ends and intermediate portions by the lower and intermediate cross members 16 and 18 respectively. Secured at opposite sides to this framework are the side panel members 2! and 22 which may be constructed to simulate any desired animal such as a horse, as shown. The frame also includes longitudinally extending stringer Patented July 10, 1956 members 24 which extend in closely adjacent relation to the side panels 20 and 22 and which extend generally between the intermediate cross members 18 in the manner shown. These stringers form a support for the opposite sides of a seat assembly, indicated generally by the reference character 26 which includes the seat portion 28 and back rest portion 30, the two of which are hingedly secured together as indicated by the reference character 32. The upper end of the back rest 30 is provided with a rearwardly extending bracket ear 34 which is pivotally secured as at 36 to a depending latch bar 38 having a series of teeth formed therein for selective engagement with a generally U-shaped hasp member 40, secured to the rearward side of the rearward cross member 18. In this manner, it will be manifest that the back rest member 30 may be selectively positioned in raised and lowered positions for affording the most comfortable seating or reclining position for a child placed thereon.

The frame is provided at its lower end with a pair of spaced generally parallel rocker members 42 and 44 which are rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner and, in the position shown in Figure 4, which will support the assembly for swaying movement to and fro wherein the assembly may be utilized as a crib or rocker for lulling a child to sleep.

Pairs of bell crank members 46 and 48 are pivotally portions 52 and the depending arm portions 54. As seen most clearly in Figure 9, one of the arm portions 52 is provided with an elongated slot 56 and the other,

the arm portions 52 are disposed coextensively, as shown n Figures 9 and 10, the latching collar 60 may be engaged in encompassing relation to the overlapping ends of the arm portions 52 to maintain the coextensive position of these arm members, in the manner shown most clearly in Figure 10.

The lower or free ends of the depending arm portions 54 are provided with elongated slots 64' receiving the opposite ends of the axles 66 which journal the wheel members 68 thereon in any conventional manner.

Supporting strap assemblies 70 are rigidly secured at their upper and lower ends to the intermediate and lower frame members 18 and 16 respectively in any suitable manner, and include an upper inclined portion 72 and a lower inclined or cam portion 74 and an inwardly deformed intermediate portion 76 forming a retaining loop for the axle 66. Resilient members 78 are engageable adjacent the axle 66 and secured in anysuitable manner to the frame, normally tending to urge the axles into the loop 76 to an upraised or elevated position, such that the axles are retained in the loop 76 or along the downwardly inclined cam portion 74, in the manner shown most clearly iriFigures 3 and 2, respectively. 7 i

In operation of the device, it will be apparent that the combination of the bell crank members 46 and 48 in conjunction with the axle and wheel assembly may take any one of three positions of use, such as those shown respectively in Figures 2, 3 and 4. In the position shown in Figure 2, the axles 66 are forced out of the retaining loops 76 and the bell crank members are disposed such that their arms 52 are in coextensive position and the latching collar or sleeve 60 is positioned, as shown in Figure 10, to maintain these members in such position, movement of the bell crank members in this manner forcing the axles 66 into engagement with the cam portion 74 of the members 70 such that the wheels are in the lowermost position as shown in Figure 2 wherein the entire assembly has been elevated with the rockers 42 positioned above the supporting surface. In this position, the device may be utilized as a stroller, or the like, and may be easily manipulated for rolling across the floor or like surface.

In the position shown in Figure 3, the axles 66 are retained in the loop 76 and the bell crank members are disposed in coextensive positions, in the manner shown, such that their lower ends are in firm engagement with the supporting surface such as to provide a four point suspension for the device wherein it will be rigidly disposed with respect to the supporting surface and may, at this time, be utilized as a combined table and chair for the child by virtue of the use of the tray assembly indicated generally by the reference character 80. In the third position of the assembly, the device is manipulated into the position shown in Figure 4 wherein the bell crank members 46 and 48 are disposed in angular relation and the wheel and axle assemblies are positioned within the retaining loop 76 of the members 70, permitting engagement of the rockers 42 and 44 with the ground surface.

The tray assembly 80 is provided with a smooth supporting upper surface 82 and a lower cushioned surface 92 supported at either side by the depending flange portions 84 which are apertured to selectively receive the spaced spring urged plunger members 86 slidably received by the side panels 20 and 22. The plungers are normally urged by the spring 88 into engagement with the apertures in the brackets 84 but may be retracted therefrom by pulling outwardly on the enlarged heads 90 wherein the tray assembly may be removed from the device and inverted such that its cushioned lower surface 92 may form a continuation of the seat 28 supported on stringer members 24 whereafter the seat back portion 30, being lowered, will permit the device to be utilized as a bed. In this position of the tray, it can be seen that the tray assembly is merely placed upon and supported by the longitudinal stringers 24 and forward of the intermediate cross members 18.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to. those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended. claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A childs convertible amusement device operable to be adjusted to any one of three positions on a support surface to provide a feeding table, mobile vehicle, or rocking cradle for a child comprising a frame including side panels simulating an animal, substantially parallel rocker memberssupported adjacent the lower portions of said side panels, said side panels and rocker members being subject to be raised from a support surface, longitudinally extending substantially parallel support means extending substantially along the length of the inner confines of said side panels, a convertible adjustable seat means operably supported on said parallel support means, adjustable means operably engageable with said seat means and frame for adjusting said seat between a substantially vertical support position to a substantially reclining support position, control means operably supported by said frame including cam-retaining elements which are longitudinally disposed on opposite ends of said device, each of said cam-retaining elements including portions defining a slot oppositely opening toward a respective end of said device and terminating in downwardly and inwardly directed cam surfaces, said control means further including a pair of relatively pivoted control lever members, pivotally supported on said frame and including thereon a portion defining an enclosed elongated slot, said lever members further including a ground support contacting portion, wheel axles rotatably supporting ground contacting wheels journalled thereon, said wheel axles being journalled in the elongated slots of the lever members and operable to engage the open slot or cam surface of an adjacent cam-retaining element for adjusting the device to any one of three positions, and resilient means connected to said frame and engageable with said axles for resiliently urging the axles to any one of the three selected positions by operation of the control means.

2. A childs convertible amusement device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises oppositely disposed resilient leaf spring elements having one end secured to the frame of said device and including a portion in operable engagement with said wheel axles.

3. A childs convertible amusement device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a pair of transversely disposed mutually parallel cam-retaining elements are secured at each of the ends of the frame of said device.

4. A childs convertible amusement device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient means includes pairs of oppositely disposed relatively parallel resilient leaf spring elements having one end secured to the frame of said device and having a portion in operable engagement with said wheel axles.

5. A childs convertible amusement device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said control means includes a plurality of pairs of relatively pivoted control levers pivotally supported on the frame of said device, each including mutually parallel enclosed elongated slots for supporting said wheel axles, and each of which having ground support contacting portions.

6. A childs convertible amusement device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said pairs of lever members are pivotally connected together at one end having operably connected therebetween securing means for optionally connecting said levers in axial alignment, each of said levers including an obtuse angularly related portion terminating in a support surface contacting portion.

7. A childs convertible amusement device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a removable tray element is removably secured to the side panels of said device in a position accessible to the adjustable seat means, and the parallel support means on the inner confines of the side panels consists of rail members which include a forwardly extending portion which will operably support the detachable tray element to provide an extension of the adjustable seat means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

